Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am sure the Minister of State is aware that the defective concrete block crisis has ravaged my county of Donegal and other counties. It has destroyed people's homes, farm buildings and businesses but it is also affecting community organisations across the county. Some of these community organisations are technically being classed as commercial buildings, including organisations like the Raphoe Community Playgroup, which hosts around 45 children. This playgroup owns a building that was built in 2000 with funds from the EU Special Programmes Body for peace and reconciliation, as well as through a lot of hard work and local fundraising initiatives in the town of Raphoe and the surrounding area.

There was great excitement in the town back in 2000 when the playgroup received confirmation that funding had been secured for the new building. The playgroup itself predates the building. It has been in existence since 1982, with thousands of children and families from Raphoe and the surrounding areas availing of its service in that time. Now it is being condemned due the presence of defective concrete blocks. The playgroup has been told that from June it will not have a home. It will not have a safe building from which to serve the community and its future is now in serious doubt. It is shocking that it is in this position through no fault of its own, that it finds itself in this place. The irony is not lost on the local people that this is a building built in 2000 that is directly in the shadow of the historic Raphoe Castle which was built some 400 years ago. It still stands while a building built 24 years ago during a period of light-touch regulation or no regulation has been condemned. A staff member told my party leader, Mary Lou McDonald, and me that she had a kettle older than the building.

The Government has not provided any support or advice for community organisations affected by this crisis. They are not included in the Government's already flawed redress grant and they are not alone. Many community organisations in Donegal are in the same position. This is the next facet of the crisis that is emerging. Where will these community organisations go when their buildings are eventually condemned? It is currently the Department, Pobal and local childcare committees that will have to pick up the pieces regarding this. The Government was warned two years ago that this particular building in Raphoe had defective concrete blocks and would not be safe for children so the news should not have come out of the blue when I raised it again with the Department and the Minister in March. Will the Minister of State outline what measures have been taken to address this? What supports will be provided to Raphoe Community Playgroup and other community groups that will likely soon be in the same position?

It is not good enough for Raphoe Community Playgroup to be left in a position of limbo, which is where it finds itself. The children are fantastic, but they have now taken to drawing slogans and signs that say "save our school". They are doing that to draw attention to their plight. They have nowhere to go in September. They do not know where they will be going. They cannot go back to the school as it has been condemned and there is still uncertainty as to whether this school will be rebuilt. People in Raphoe want to know whether there will be funding to rebuild the building. People across the county also want to know what will happen when it is their turn to move out of their premises because the Government has not provided any clarity on this. It is not acceptable. This is a community not-for-profit organisation the members of which put their hands in their pockets - yes, they got grant aid from Departments in the past - built a home and as a result of no-touch or light-touch regulation find that their building is now crumbling and children, parents and staff do not know where they have to go in September. It is not acceptable. We need clarity today.

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